The Role of Strategic Alliances on Performance of County Assembly Wards: An Assessment of Nakuru County Government in Kenya

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to assess the influence of strategic alliances on the performance of the Nakuru County Government in Kenya by assessing the County Assembly Wards. The specific objectives focused on public-private partnerships, research and development, resource sharing, and risk sharing. The study was underpinned on the RBV, knowledge-based, transaction-based, and prospect theories. The study adopted descriptive research design targeting all the 55 Assembly wards in Nakuru County. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to draw out 141 respondents. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire and analyzed both as well as inferentially. The study found that there was a strong and positive relationship between publicprivate partnerships and performance and that public-private partnerships had the strongest relationship with the performance. Further, the study found that public-private partnerships positively and significantly influence the performance. Also, the study found a strong and positive relationship between resource sharing and performance. On the other hand, the study revealed that resource sharing positively and significantly influences the performance and while holding public-private partnerships, research and development sharing and risk sharing constant, resource sharing would have the most positive influence on the performance. In addition, the relationship between research and development and performance also showed a strong and positive relationship. However, the findings showed that while research and development sharing would help improve the performance, it did not have a statistically significant influence on the performance. The findings also indicated that the relationship between risk sharing and performance showed a moderate but positive relationship. On the other hand, the regression analysis revealed that risk sharing did not have a significant influence on the performance. The study hence recommended that future researcher should conduct a comparative study to understand the influence of strategic alliances on the performance of other county assembly wards in Kenya. Finally, this study hopes that these findings will be relevant for stakeholders to address opportunities and challenges that exist in the formation of strategic alliances in public sector organizations.